Aeronautical Radio, Inc. (“ARINC”) is a commercial standards group governing connectors, connector sizes, rack and panel configurations, etc, primarily for airborne applications. Connectors which conform to ARINC specifications are sometimes referred to as ARINC connectors. One example of an ARINC connector is the ARINC 600 Quadrax connector that receives Quadrax contacts therein. The Quadrax contact is a multi-signal contact system employing two differential pairs used with quad-axial cables for databus applications on commercial aircraft. In addition to commercial avionics, aircraft data networks and in-flight entertainment systems, the Quadrax contacts and connectors can be used in military networking and communications as well as multi-gigabit applications. The Quadrax contact consists of four contacts arranged within a shell having an envelope defined according to ARINC standards. Typically, the Quadrax contacts include an insulative body having four channels for receiving the four contacts. The insulative body is received within a metallic or metalized plastic outer shell. The Quadrax contacts are mounted and retained in connectors which are configured based on the particular application. The connectors may contain one or more Quadrax contacts and may include contacts which are not Quadrax contacts. In addition, the connectors may be different shapes, including, but not limited to, circular or rectangular. A Quadrax style connector that receives the Quadrax contacts is typically metal or metalized plastic.
In order to properly maintain the Quadrax style contacts in the connector, retention clips may be provided which are received in contact receiving passages of the connector. Each retention clip engages a respective Quadrax pin contact to maintain the respective Quadrax pin contact in a respective contact receiving passage. This type of retention is not limited to Quadrax connectors, but is used for many styles of contacts. In such applications, the shell of each contact engages its respective retention clip and the respective retention clip engages the wall of the contact receiving passage. As the wall of the contact receiving passage is typically metal or metalized plastic, a grounding path is provided between the shell of the contact and the wall of the contact receiving passage. Alternatively, a grounding plate, such as that shown in U.S. Pat. No. 4,808,118 may be provided to extend across much of the width of the connector and make contact with the shell of the connector. In such applications, each contact and/or the clip may engage the grounding plate to facilitate the grounding of the contact to the connector. However, in either embodiment, the grounding connection is not assured as the connection between the clip and the wall or between the clip and the grounding plate must rely on gravity or tight tolerances to ensure that a proper electrical connection is effected and maintained. As it is difficult and expensive to tightly control tolerances and as oxides or other contaminants may accumulate between mating surface, the effectiveness of the grounding connection may not be adequate.
It would therefore be beneficial to provide a cost effective, reliable grounding connection between the contacts and the shell of the connector. It would also be beneficial to provide a grounding member which incorporates retention clips, thereby eliminating individual parts while ensuring that the contacts are properly maintained in the contact receiving passageway and properly grounded to the shell of the connector. Such a grounding and retention member would be advantageous for ARINC Quadrax connectors as well as many other connectors in which contacts are arranged in contact receiving cavities.